Home sales show double digit decrease

TRI-COUNTY AREA—The number of homes sold and the median price are both down in Yates County compared to the same period last year. According to the New York State Association of Realtors, the number of homes sold in Yates between Jan. 1 and April 30 of this year is 55. Last year during the same time, 66 homes were sold. This is a 16.7 decrease. In 2009, 70 homes sold. When it comes to median sale prices for January to April in Yates County, the number currently is $105,000. According to the NYSAR, this is down from last year: $108,250. However, in 2009 the median home price was $84,500. Despite the numbers, Sandy Spak, realtor with Century 21 in Penn Yan, said lower priced homes are selling well. She said there are some lower priced homes that have received three to four offers. Spak said a lot of retirees hear about the area and want to move here. She said she is working with a number of people from New York City and New Jersey to find them a home, priced under $200,000. The situation is almost the opposite in Schuyler County. According to the New York State Association of Realtors, the current median price of a home in Schuyler sold between Jan. 1 and April 30 of this year is $145,500. That is up 73.8 percent over the same period of time last year: $83,740. In 2009 during that time, the median price was $80,950. Meanwhile, the number of homes sold is also slightly up. According to the NYSAR, 28 homes sold January to April of 2011. Last year during the same time frame, 23 homes were sold. In 2009, that number was 22. “A lot of people look at Watkins Glen because it is centrally located,” said realtor Vicki Schamel. She added it is in between Elmira, Ithaca and Corning. Schamel explained because of people getting those areas, they look for homes in Schuyler in the upper end of the price range. She pointed out she knows of five homes in the county over $150,000 that will soon be under contract. However, Schamel added there aren’t enough $200,000 or higher residential single family homes available on the market for people. She said there are people looking for homes in this price range, but there aren’t enough in Schuyler County. Schamel added that some buyers are still hesitant to purchase a home due to national news coverage of the housing market. She said negative press keeps people from selling homes, even when the local housing market wasn’t in trouble. In Steuben County the current median price, January to April, is $86,000. According to the NYSAR, it was $91,500 in 2010. However, in 2009, the median price was $75,000. The number of homes sold also went up. The current number is 205. Last year it was 192. In 2009, 151 homes were sold in the first four months.